09/12/2025
In Detroit, high school students are volunteering to serve as pallbearers at the funerals of homeless veterans who have no family to honor them.
This initiative, called the Pallbearer Ministry, began in 2015 when a group of six seniors from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School decided to step in and offer a dignified farewell to veterans who passed away alone.
Since then, the program has grown, and over 50 students have been trained to assist at these services. Each student learns about the life and military service of the veteran before the funeral, which helps them connect more deeply with the person they are honoring.
By participating, the students provide a final act of respect for those who served the country but had no family to carry their casket. The experience is not only a way to show respect to the deceased but also offers the students valuable lessons in empathy, dignity, and community service.
The program has become an important reminder that every life has worth, and that even those who may have been forgotten by society deserve to be treated with dignity in their final moments. Through their involvement, the students are learning to reflect on the significance of service and the impact they can make on others, particularly those who are marginalized.
This small act of kindness highlights the value of community and the importance of standing together to support those in need.
